Various systems of key duplication exist in the marketplace. A typical key duplication process has two aspects: identification of a proper key blank to be selected based on various characteristics of the master key; and cutting the key blank with the bitting pattern of the master key to successfully duplicate the key. Existing systems may automate some or all aspects of this process.
As systems become increasingly automated and customer demand for duplicated keys continues to exist in the marketplace, a rapid, streamlined process becomes essential. Customers demand not only an accurately cut duplicate key, but also that it be done as quickly as possible. Retail establishments that employ key duplication systems as part of their service offerings have an interest in increasing efficiency of their systems and of the employees who operate them and assist customers. Minimizing the time it takes to duplicate a key is important for success because it improves the customer experience and increases the revenue-generating potential of the key duplication system.
Modern key duplication systems may combine the identification and cutting processes in a single, integrated machine. One attempt at combining key identification and key cutting in the same machine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,891,919 (the '919 patent) issued to Bass, et al. on Feb. 22, 2011. In particular, the '919 patent describes a system in which a customer supplies a master key to be duplicated, and inserts the master key into a slot on the housing of the machine. The key is secured, and the machine captures an image of the blade of the master key. Internal logic determines which key blank corresponds to the master key and may indicate to the customer which key blank to select. The operator retrieves the corresponding key blank, removes the master key from the slot in the machine, and inserts the key blank into the same slot. The machine then cuts the key blank based on the captured bitting pattern from the master key and provides the completed duplicated key to the operator.
Although the combined key identification and key cutting system of the '919 patent may assist an inexperienced operator in duplicating a key, the disclosed system is limited. That is, the combined key identification and key cutting system of the '919 patent cannot identify a second key while a first key is being cut on the machine. The system of the '919 patent cannot begin the identification of a second master key until duplication of a key blank corresponding to a first master key is completed. This limitation results in an inefficient use of both customer time and employee time in a retail environment. The inefficiency is problematic when a single customer presents multiple keys for duplication or when multiple customers are attempting to have keys duplicated. The key duplication business in a retail environment can be very busy, particularly during weekend hours, and the ability to streamline the process is desirable. Efficiency can be increased by enabling customers to identify keys on one machine while that machine is cutting another key, and then cut the identified keys on a second machine. The process can be optimized even further by providing the retail establishment the capability to prioritize and distribute key duplication tasks across a plurality of key cutting machines within one integrated, networked system.
The disclosed system is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above and/or elsewhere in the prior art.